Semiautomatic motob-vehicle warning signal



T.H. BUMSTEAD. SEMIAUTUNI'ATIC MOTOR VEHICLE WARNING SIGNAL.

.APPLICATION FILED MAR, 1814920.

Patnted Ot. 24

T. H. BUMSTEAD.

SEMIAUTOMATIC MOTOR VEHICLE WARNING SIGNAL.

` APPLICATION FILED MAR, I8. |920. 1,433,1 19. Patented Oct. 24, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented oa. 24, 1922. l fr I UNITED ,STATES P IROTBRIDGCE H. BUMSTEAD, OF ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA.

SEMIAUTOMATIC MoTon-vniiioLn WARNING SIGNAL.

Appiicanon mea March is, i920. seriai No. 366,858. ,c

To allee/tom?? may concern.' y

Be it known that I, Tnowninon H, BUM- s'iniin, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ontario, in the county of San Bernardino, State of'California, have invented certain new `and useful Improvements in Serniautomatic Motor Vehicle i l/Vaining Signals; and l do hereby declare the followr-k y ing to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, suchaswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains, to

` a semaphore signalwith meanswfor setting. it in various radial positions around its.

make and use the same. y e

This invention relates` to automobile signals, and it comprises improvements in the signal proper, the controller for setting` the signal, the `means "for latching y'the controller and therefore holding the signal set,

and the means for tripping` the latch autofy it falls to neutral position indicated'by the matically or by hand. l n

@nevobject of' the invention is to provide pivot or permitting'it to hang therefrom, to respectively indicatethe intentions of the driver or to 4place the. semaphore at neutral ywhen it is out of use.

without removing his hands from the steer-y incr wheel, and maybe as easily latched in position or unlatched and permitted to return automatically to neutral.

Another object of the invention is to pro'- vide Ameans for trippingP the latch automatically when the driver straightens out hisk course after having made `a turn, so that in case he should fail to change the signal from its warning position after the need for the warning has passed., the semaphore would be automatically restored `to neutral as he proceeded on his way. n

Details of one successful manner of con- Y structinp; the several elements of this invention are set forth below and shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1- is anelevation andv Figure 2..

pian View of the signal and its support,

Figure Bis a plan viewand'yFigure i anr elevation of the controller, the former view also well illustrating thelatch mechanism and VFigure 4 showingvin dotted lines the working connection between it and the sig-y nal operating mechanism oflFigure 1. Figure 5 is a plan ,viewand Figuren perspective detail of the trip mechanism.

The signalproper isa semaphore .1, constituting preferably the long signal arm of 4a lever which is mounted on a horizontal pivot 2 at the upper end of aVK support 3 adapted to be attached to the side of the car or by preferenceto one' edge of the windshield byffastening means such as bolts "or screws engaging holes 41- in the siipiiort.A The lower end. ofthe' latter carriesa bumper 5 against which theseinaphore strikes when line (i, and lattached tothe support byL a clamp 6 is an upright guide tube 7 through which leads the operating; cord or wire 8,

the saine being connected with the short arm 9` of 'the lever whose long arm constitutes the semaphore. The `latter is n preferably painted aY bright'color so that it 'may be readily"distinguished in the day time or at y dusk, especially when itis projected' out `ward from thel car'or windshield as seen in Figure 1. For the purposes of this specification let us assume that when 'the semaphore stands along the line Z) it indicates that ythe ldriver is about to slow down or stop; when it stands alongthe line o as shown in this view, it indicates'hisintention yto turn to the lef g and when it is raised to the line d it 'gives warning that he is about to turn to the right. It is obvious that tension imparted to the wire 8 will set the semaphorev `in three of these positions,

but when tension is relaXed'the arm1 will,l

fall by gravity to an upright position` o: and come against the bumper 5L, and this we may call the neutral position where the arm will 'hang quite near the'machine and be comparatively inconspi'cuous. y

For use after dark thearm 1 is provided with two or more( lamps 10A and 11 disposed in a liiie along its length, the same preferably being bulbs located within lamp boxes having red glasses at the frear 'and white glasses at thefront. IThese lamps are con .nested in series by wires 12 and'13 leading,

respectivelyto contact plates 14 and 15 carried rigidly by the arm and lstruck on arcs around the centerfof pivot 2, andspring iio y' within which is tastened one extremity pressed brushes 16 and 17 are adapted"reL spectively to contact with these plates, these brushes being disposed in a circuit lf3 through a battery B or other source of electric energy and a switch 19 so that when the latter is closed, the lamps* may be` il luminated. T he length of,` the arcuate plates is such, however, that when 4the semaphore rails to its neutral position they inove out olf contact with the brushes so that the circuit Tis broken and the'lights are extinguisherb 'thereby econoinizing electricity and avoiding the possibility that any signal will ber `former, the observer will see the right hand lainp 1l lower than the lefthand lamp ll), but inthe position tl the lamp il will be higher than l0. Obviously this, relativo position has onefnieaning, iat the machine is approaching and the reversel ineaning il is receding, and' thisaccounts for the crred useoi' glasses of dilferent color n the front and rear vof the. lainpf boxes, 'although the colors nained are only'suggestive.-`

In the day tiine the current is entirelyv cut oil by opening the switch 19.

le are concerned only with thel steering mechanism ofthe motor vehicle` andin- Figure 4 is diagraniinatically shown the steeringrod or shaft .S passing up through the steering post or tube` T andsecuredlo* l .the hub l-l of the steering wheel W, and for purposes ot' illustration we have shown a portion of the riin R of this wheel. Securigl. by clips 20 embracing the.. tube T are upper and lower bearings 2l and 22 forthe controller shaft rejecting from lthe lower bearing 22 isa bracketl 24 carrying a clanip o't theguide tube above mentioned, and

the dotted lines connecting Figures l and fl.

nia-y be given a bend indicate that `this tubev between the points A.vliei'eit. is connected to the clamps 6 and 25, and., yetthel operating cord or wire 8 which ,is flexible will .move around said bend l as vwill be clear. Oi course this detail inight be replaced by other means for connecting the semaphore operating mechanism of Figure l with the cons :L the lower end of .the controller` shaft is a troller of Figure` l suchas gearing or the well known bell-crank levers used in bell hanging, without departing from the spirit of n'iy invention. Projectingradially from.

crank arin 2.6` to whose outervendis clip 27 within which the wire .8 is and therefore' the oscillation of1 the,

pivotecl` a engage il,

shaft 2.3#

will draw on said wire or relax the tension thereon according to the direction in whieh the arm 26 is swung. The upper bearing 21 is preferably. split as seen in Figure Il, and between .its upper and lower sections a block 2S is mounted fast on theI shaft 23, sai-d block carrying a .handle 29 extending out beneath the steering wheel to within reach oi the finger ot the operators right hand when they engage the rirn l 7&3

thus liar, described, swinging' ot' the or handle 29 beneath tlierstee'lng and in a substantially horizontal.

plane will cause the simultaneous movement of the semaphore in a,substantiallyv vertiizal 'the seiiia'ihoie bearing relatively the save letters. ilowcyer, the weiglitol the seninphore zii-1n l will automatically move it to neutral' andv automatically nieve the haniflle 29`to its neutral position which is along the line l 'unless seine locking or latch means is employed.A Accordingly l inalte he handle one arin of a. bell-crank lever pivotel at 39 in the blockv 28, its other arm rising- 'ronithe pivot and const'itutiirfr a iawl' 30; andl tast on the upper section oi the bearing1 2l. is a ratchet plate 3l whose teeth 32 have 95 their active faces d'ished` slightly so that lu e. ect they bec/nine hooks capable of holding tl j pl wl' 30 i.' `-i sntli'cient friction to pre' vent the .tall ot the handle or otheraini 29 .handle .is depressed from the plane c in .Figure l toward. or intothe plane the pawl disengaged' t'roni the ratchet andthe vidle can swng tree in either direction.

ui 'the operator l1 .s brought it to tlmflO iper line (and thevlines A, B, C, D, of Y3.intersect the several teeth). h c

the outer vend ci' the handle with his linger tip and eng-ages the pawl with the orc-per tooth wht .i shape holds it there 11o tei' lic has removed his linger and his ia-nd.. It will bel clear. however, tl at slight pressure on the handle tending; to depi it or on the pawl teniling `tonioiie it out ai" cngag ent with its tooth. will trip this 1.15 latchfinrfniecl nien so that the handle drops to the plane 7L`,-whereupon the weight of the semaphore will' sw'ug the handle to the line ji, and allv parts will automatically lassume their trai or .inactive positions. 1.20

lnl 'ur/es and 6 is shown an automatic.

points iust forwardof `those teeth 32 which L J y tween the vfront ends of thepins, and the and the pins are'preferablv rounded as seen in Figure thewheclisturned in the ordinary move ents of steering, the cani swings one pn or the other outa little from the bloei-ry 42 aslio spring 4A permits, and no further effect is produced, but if the huh is turned sofar that the vcam passesheyond the front end of either pin as seen in dottelad lines in li" .re a result does follow which will be explained below.

Vilith the-above construction of parts, .let us assume that the operator intends to 'turn to the left at the next corner, and desires to so signal his intention. As the handle 29 will stand along,f theline heslides his right hand up therim R until he ycan grasp the liant/lle, then swings it to the position C which will raise thesemaphore l to the position c, and then he lifts the handle 29 as seen in Figure 4t sothat the pawl 30 en zsages the proper tooth `32,:ind the weight of the semaphore andtension of the wire will hold the parts in this position. 'To another .driver either in front or in rear, the two lamps appear in a horizontal line-to the former they are white `so that he knows l receding' and is about to turn in the direc-y tion which will be to hisleft. The operator will'neiit turn the steering` wheel lV to the left so that the cam 48 yswings the pin 4l out from the block 42 as seen in dotted lv'lines in Figure 5. until finally the cam This necessitates turning` of the hub to the right, and the cam passes bach over the fro-nt end of the pin f -ll to seek its normal position between the two pins. @ln so re.- turning to place, the cam forces the pin il to slide straight-to the rear, since it cannot swing rearward because it is now in contact with the block 42, and in such sliding, its rear end strikes thefpawl 30 and disengages it from. the tooth 32, so that the latch mechanism yis automatically tripped. The weight of the handle 29 now causes it to fall, semaphore causes it to drop to neutral, which swings the handleyback to its neutralfposh.

tion A.` Here the lights are automatically extinguished as above explained. Had the operator contemplated a turn to the right instead of they left, he would have swung the handle to the line D instead of C5 rand and immediately the weight of the ypin 40 which would have vtripped. `the latch kmechanism as will be understood. Had the operatorintended to slow down or'stop, he would have swung the handle only to the position B, and neither pin is effective to trip the p'awl when. latched in this position. TWhen the machine comes to a stop,

`it is well to leave exposed the proper signal which indicates that fact, and when the driver starts on again he can trip the latch mechanism with the tip of his linger, as in deed, is possible in any of itsppositions. It will be seen from Figure 8 that the handle 29 swings from neutral at a point about op-y posite the driver, through practically onequarterof a circle around the right side of the rim R. `This is preferred, but not neces sary. Nor is it imperative that the positions herein des ed shall have the significance attributed to them or be arranged in the exact order given. These andthe various details of construction may be left to the manufacturer. It is yobi/ions that the device can be made and sold as an .attachment, and applied to almost any of the well known forms of machines. The automatic trip mechanism and thev automatic return of parts to neutral when tripped by hand or otherwise puts as little labor as possiblev on out of theway and out of danger of being n injured, and in such position it can be seen by others approaching; from in front or travelime` behind, while in its neutral position it is out of the way and practically out of sight. The First cost is small, and the simplicity of parts renders repairs unlikely and `upkeep trifling. f

That is claimed is: kl. ln a signal, the combination of an upright shaft mounted to oscillate in its bearings, a crank arm on the shaft, signal operating` means connected with said shaft a bell-crank lever connected by a horizontall pivot with said shaft,its longer outer arm constituting a handle and its shorter armrv standinguprightand constituting a pawl, and a ratchet iivedly carried'by the upper bearing` and havingbr teeth engaged bythe pawl when the handle is raised, each 'tooth having' its active face slightly dished, `for the.` purpose set forth. 2. In an automobile signal, the combination with bearings adapted to be carried by the steering'post, an upright shaft mounted therein, and signal operating means carried by said shaft, of a handle pivoted to the sha-ft to turn it when the handle is swung in a plane beneath the steering wheel, mechanlsm latching the handle when swung to a position to raise the semaphore and signal an intention oit the driver, and means controlled by t turning oi the steering wheel whereby said latch mechanism is tripped.

ln'anvautomobile signal, the combination with bearings adapted to be carried by the steering post, an upright shaft mounted therein, and having means adapted for connection with a semaphore 'for operation oit the latter by turning of the shaft; of 'a handle pivoted to the shaft to turn it when the handle `is swung in a plane beneath the steering wheel, mechanism' latching the handle when swung to a position to lraise the semaphore and signal an intention of the driver, pins for tripping said latch mechanism when they are moved longitudinally, and means on the hub oi the steering wheel for so moving either pin by the resetting oi said wheel after it has been moved to make a turn.

4. ln a control torautomobile signals, the combination with bearings adapted to be attached to the steering post, an upright shaft mountedtherein, and connections leading from its `lower end and adapted to be connected with al semaphore whereby the latter can be raised by turning of the shaft; ot a plate Ytast on the upper bearing vand having ratchet teeth disposed in an arc around the projected axis of the shaft, the teeth having slightly dished active faces, a block tast on the shaft adjacent said plate, a pawl pivoted in the block and rising past said pla-te, and a handle projecting rigidly from the pawl outward beneath the steering wheel to a point within reach of the `operators lingers when his hand is on thev rim.. 5'. ln a cont-rol for automobile signals, the

combination with bearings adapted to be' attached to the steering post, an upright shaft mounted therein, and connections leading 'from its lower end and-adapted to be connected with a semaphore whereby the latter can be raised by turning of the-shaft; of a plate iast on the upper bearing and having ratchet teeth disposed in an arc around the projected axis of the shaft, a block tast on the shaft adjacent said plate, a pawl pivoted in the block and rinsing past said plate, ahandle projecting rigidly from the pawl outward beneath the steering wheel to a point within reach of the operators lingers when his hand is on the rim, pins slidably mounted on said plate with their outer ends alined with those teeth correspending to the positions of the semaphore indicating contemplated turn to either side,

and means adapted to be carried by the hub of the steering wheel for passing said pins when moving from between their inner ends or sliding either pin when moving in a reverse direction, or the purpose setV forth. 6. In a control for automobile signals, the combination with bearings adapted to be attached to the steering post, an upright shaft mounted therein, and connections leading from its lower end and adapted to be connected with a semaphore whereby the latter fan be raised by turning of the shaft; of a plate tast on the upper bearing and having ratchet teeth disposed in an are around the projected axis of the shaft, a block fast on the shaft adjacent said plate, a pawl pivoted in the bloclr and rising past said plate, a handle projecting rigidly from the pawl outward beneath the steering wheel to a pointwithin reach of the operators lingers when his hand is' on the rim, blocks mounted on said plate and channeled on their outer sides` pins mounted in said channels with their inner ends alined with those teeth corresponding to the positions of the semaphore indicating a contemplated turn to either side, yielding means drawing the pins normally into the channels, and a cam adapted to be mounted on the hub of the steering wheel to stand between the outer ends of the pins when the machine is on a substantially straight course whereby movement of the wheel to effect a turn will cause the cam to swing a pin aside and movement to restore the wheel to its normal position will cause the cam to slide said pin and disengage the pawl 'from the ratchet.-

7. The herein describedv trip mechanism, the same comprising the combination with an element to be movedifrom one of two locking positions; ota guide having channeled sides, pins yieldably held in said channels -and with their inner ends opposite said j iositions.` and acam disposed normally between their outer ends and movable to one side or the other according to the position of said element, its outward movement swinging the pin forward ot said element and its return movement to normal position sliding said pin and tripping said element. f ln testimony whereof, l alix my signature, in the presence ot two witnesses.

TR-OVBRDGE H. BUMSTEAD.

Witnesses W. L. Molins,

LUeILn l?. Masons. 

